Page 23 of His Little Devil

Her skin pales, and she looks like she may be sick. “Elena and Luke never fucked. Back then it was unheard of, and I think the most scandalous thing that they ever did was hold hands, or possibly kiss,” I reassure her.

“Thank God. That would have just been too weird,” she mutters, then opens the journal, scanning it.

“Do you want me to leave so you can read?” I ask and she shakes her head.

“I really was serious about needing a nap. Let’s watch this.” She clicks on some American movie about a coven of male warlocks and I snort.

“Have you practiced your magic yet?” I ask after a few minutes. I know Luke and Merida are keeping her busy with wedding plans, but surely she should start lessons soon.

“No, and if I’m being honest, I don’t want to. The last time I did, a lot of people were knocked unconscious.”

“What do you mean?”

“The night I was kidnapped, the first time, I woke up in the middle of some chanting circle. I felt like I was on fire, and then I was so angry, and I think I exploded… magically, obviously. Everyone in the circle was thrown, and at first, I thought that I had killed them.”

She shrugs and closes her eyes. “I know that my soul is tainted, but I still don’t want to murder someone.”

I don’t know what to say. I’m in fact speechless. I have never heard of someone having that much power, especially considering all the people that are in her coven. Climbing off the bed, I hold out my hand to her.

“Where are we going?” she asks before accepting. I shoot her a wink and tug her toward the door.

“I think it’s time I introduce you to my favorite place in Hell. Don’t worry, you can nap after.”

When I open the door, Thimon is there, and he looks like someone shoved a lemon up his ass. His lips are pursed and everything. I slap him on the back not so gently and continue on my way to the gardens.

“I’ve never been this way,” Silver mutters, and I smile.

“Well then, Madam, let me be your tour guide. I know that Luke can get busy at times.”

I give her palm a quick squeeze, and ignore the taste of lust I get from her. I lead her down a few halls and past the pool. Her eyes widen at that, and I make a mental note to tell Luke.

When we step outside she gasps. “How is this even possible?” I lead her down the stone steps into my paradise.

Fire and brimstone surrounds us, but in the middle, behind the castle, is a small greenhouse full of flowers and plants that can survive in fire and unnaturally hot temperatures.

“Hell can be scary, don't get me wrong, but there is also beauty beneath all the ash.”

“Like a phoenix,” she comments, and I nod. Bending down, I pick one of the large orange-red flowers and hand it to her.

She smiles and smells it. “This is beautiful. Maybe we should have these for the ceremony. What’s it called?”

Looking up at me, I have to take a breath. With the firescape behind us, her pale skin shines and her silver eyes gleam.

She’s truly beautiful.

“It’s a Fire Lily. If you venture closer to the volcano, you can find blue and purple ones.” Her eyes brighten and she nods.

“Thank you for showing me this place, Kane. I hope one day to return to Earth, but knowing that there is some place around here that isn’t all death and destruction gives me comfort.”

She turns to go back inside, and I can’t blame her. Sometimes the smog in the air can make it hard to breathe.

“Before you go back to your nap, can I take you to one more place?” I ask as soon as I’m back inside, and I've shut the doors.

“Sure. It’s not like I’m on a timed schedule or anything. Honestly, I’ve been fucking bored.”

“Yeah, I understand that. Hopefully, once you're wedded and coronated, Luke will return to the Academy, and you can go with him. I know he only took a leave of absence.”

“Ugh, I hope so. I never thought I would miss mean bitches and assignments.”

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